


Afire Love

by ValiantMurder



Series: Various One-Shots [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2015-05-18
Packaged: 2018-03-31 02:21:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3960745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValiantMurder/pseuds/ValiantMurder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>King Aegon comes to conquer Westeros. This piece is written in regard to my previous works regarding Lyarra Stark. A "what if things had been different" piece. The castle burns and Lyarra tries to save her sons, but the Dragon King has come and there is no way out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Afire Love

The Red Keep was afire. Inside servants scurried too and fro, those caught in chambers burnt to death screaming, smoke choking them and bringing fearful tears to their eyes. The Queen stood in her chamber, two children behind her and a bow on her back. A bow that had been given to her long ago. The castle had begun to burn at nightfall, but dawn was quick approaching. The Kings Guard had put as much of the flames surrounding her wing of the Red Keep out as they could manage, claiming three of their lives. But she could not flee, outside an army waited on their doorstep, an army that had killed the King and rallied the Seven Kingdoms against her family. The first warnings had come from Lyarra's sister, Arya Martell, who had married on of Doran's children; Trystane. She had only just managed to conceive a child, her letter had informed her. Lyarra had read it in her sisters sarcastic tongue and it had made her laugh. When Arya invited Lyarra and her sons to Dorne she had asked the King, but there was a threat approaching he said, and it would be safer for his family there. Two more letters had come, their words appearing increasingly urgent until finally Lyarra had understood: her sister knew of the threat. Standing in her chambers now with the windows flung open she wondered if there could have been another way, another escape from the Red Keep that would enable all three to live.

"Mother," Tytos's voice was strained, when Lyarra turned to him she felt her throat clench, a gut wrenching sadness trying to make its way into the room. "I am afraid," it was the first time in his entire life that Tytos had admitted anything other than confidence and happiness to his Mother. He was only ten and three, his Father was rumoured dead and beside him his younger brother stood pale as a ghost and shaking.

"My love," Lyarra replied, she reached out and cupped his cheek tenderly. Fighting against tears as she saw her son had his own and that they had begun to fall. "We will be alright, I won't let anybody hurt you whilst I still draw breath. I promise, I won't let them hurt you or your brother." Tytos shut his eyes before giving her a tight nod, in that instant the door opened and Garlan Tyrell strode in, sweat beading his brow and ash covering his usually pristine white cloak.

"My Queen!" Garlan strode forth and against all protocols he embraced Lyarra tightly, glad to see that she still drew breath. Moving on to the boys he kissed Rickard's brow and asked him if he was ready to become a Knight, the youngest Prince nodded and Tytos managed a tiny smile when the big Knight winked at him. "They have the castle surrounded, all those who have escaped have been given mercy but.." He looked down to the boys and guiding his Queen away from ear shot. "They are killing the boys, every single one of them that could be one of the Princes... Jaime stands guard at the end of the Hall but it doesn't look like they are going to come up."

"They won't get them," Lyarra whispered, Garlan met her eyes and wished that he could have saved her. Wished the King had listened to his small council when they had suggested the Queen and the Princes go to Dorne after all. But Joffrey had been adamant, only he could keep his family safe. But now he was dead, and only a handful of Kings Guard members remained to protect their Queen and the heir to the Throne. "Garlan, promise me."

"I can't," the Knight said sadly, "they have Margaery, your Grace. They've stripped her down and..." Garlan cleared his throat and Lyarra shook her head.

"They're my _sons_ Garlan, I need you... I need you to take them through the passageways, head North, Robb... dear sweet Robb will protect them. The North won't let these people kill my sons. Northern sons. It doesn't matter that Joffrey was..." her voice trailed off and Garlan steadied her with his hands on her shoulders. 

"What you ask... I can't leave you your grace. I couldn't live with myself." Lyarra looked up at him pained.

"I command you, Garlan. You cannot say no, please do not make me beg for my children's lives..."

So he didn't. Garlan went to the boys and told them they were going to get out. The passage behind the great tapestry behind the Queen's bed would lead them out, Varys had told Lyarra about it what seemed a long time ago. She had explored those passages over the last thirteen years and she knew the safest ways out. Handing Garlan a map scrawled on a piece of parchment the Queen then turned to her sons. Her two beautiful sons who bore so much of her look that they could never be mistaken for anything but Starks. She embraced Rickard first, kissing his head hard she tried not to tremble or cry. 

"I love you, my sweet boy." She whispered in his ear as he began to shake with his own sadness. "Don't let anybody ever tell you different. Never doubt my love for you." Rickard's tears turned to sobs and he clung to Lyarra's skirts fiercely. Tytos pulled his brother away gently and Garlan guided him to the secret passageway. 

"You aren't coming with us, are you Mother?" Tytos asked, Lyarra shook her head gently, unable to lie to him.

"They won't be satisfied if none of us are here," Tytos pursed his lips and hugged his Mother tightly. 

"I don't want you to stay here, let me stay. I will fight them, I will protect you!" The tears fell quickly now, his face red from frustration. Lyarra hugged him back just as fiercely, holding tightly onto his growing frame. He was going to be tall, just as Joffrey was. But he was all her, in his personality. His protectiveness of his brother and family. She could not have been prouder of either of her sons. Her only regret was that she would never see them grow into men, marry wives and have their own sons and daughters. She wished so very much that she could have had even another day with them. A whine brought Lyarra back from her thoughts and she looked at Ula standing by the passageway, the wolf had been just as protective as she had been. If she trusted anybody more than Garlan with her sons it was the great Direwolf. Ula paced towards them now, sniffing at Lyarra's face and her tears.

"You need to look after your brother still, Tytos. I wish this wasn't happening, but I won't let them hurt you. I won't let them take my sons." 

Watching them go through the passageway was not as hard as Lyarra had imagined. Knowing that they would live brought warmth to her heart. Nobody could trace them in the dark passageways of the Red Keep unless they had a map, and it just so happened that Lyarra had had the only one. Before he went Garlan turned and ran back to her, his hands tracing her jawline and his lips on hers. 

"Please, Lyarra" he pleaded. "Come with us," when she shook her head he knew he could not change the Queen's mind. He kissed her one last time, tasting the salt of her tears on her lips. "I swear on my life, as long as I draw breath those boys will live." Lyarra nodded and put her hands on either side of her Knight's face. Wishing that she had married him, that her sons were his and that none of this was happening. His familiar scent would soon be gone, his body running down those passageways with the boys and her direwolf Ula.  _I want to go with them so desperately_ Lyarra thought fearfully. She dropped her hands and nodded at him to go and he did, with one last squeeze of her hand he turned his back and slipped behind the tapestry. It wasn't until the Queen was sure her sons were gone that she began to cry, sobs wrecked her entire body as she fought against the sadness. _They are safe_ she repeated to herself again and again until her body calmed and she was able to collect herself. Moments later the door opened once more and Jaime Lannister stood with facing her, his sword and cloak stained from fresh blood. 

"They've entered the castle, your grace. There is nothing more I can do" his eyes were wild with murder as he looked around the room. "Where are your sons?"

"It's none of your concern, Ser." Lyarra replied with a steady voice. "I hear your Father sided with the Targaryen child, after his grandson died."  

"I... I wouldn't know your grace."

"I think you're lying, Ser Jaime." She pulled an arrow into place and aimed it at him. "You've knelt before one usurper before, why not another? Who is to say you aren't here to butcher my sons?" Ser Jaime, to his credit looked wounded. The man may not have high honour but he had been kind to Lyarra during her reign, he had been kind to the boys. 

"I would never hurt those boys, they're my family too." Lyarra frowned at him, not lowering her bow she replied:

"But not me, would you hurt me?" 

"I..." before he could finish speaking the hallway was filled with the shouts of men, their footfalls echoed upon the marble. Lyarra tensed and waited, but when they entered the room, soldiers wearing black and red armour, Ser Jaime turned on them. Whether or not Tywin Lannister had had time to get word to his son about the offer Aegon Targaryen had set to him no longer mattered. Jaime loved his nephews, he had watched them turn from ugly pink infants into boys who laughed and played at sparring. He would not let this man nor his army kill them. Lyarra watched as Jaime turned on these men, watched him fight them with all the grace he was rumoured to have.  _Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer_ Lyarra thought sadly, there were simply too many men for him to overcome. When he was on his knees another voice came.

"Stop!" It shouted, and from the soldiers walked forward a man no older than Lyarra, his hair was silver and his eyes appeared almost black.  _This must be the Targaryen King,_ Lyarra told herself, aiming her bow at his chest before he could start to talk once more. "I've never known a Queen who could shoot an arrow," he said, his voice amused.

"I don't suppose you've met any Queens in exile, have you?" Lyarra bit back, Aegon frowned at her. This Queen that stood facing dozens of men in her night shift, eyes red from tears and an arrow pointed at his heart. 

"Where are your sons?" Aegon asked, his temper flaring. 

"Hiding from you, monster." Aegon shut his eyes briefly and ushered for his men to do something, the flick of his hand brought forth a naked woman who bled from multiple wounds.  _Margaery_ Lyarra thought, her heart tight in her chest.  _Kind promiscuous Margaery._ Margaery had been Lyarra's lady since she came to Kings Landing, but she was more than another lady. Margaery had frequented Lyarra's bed more than once, her familiar presence had been almost constant in the past thirteen years. When Tytos and Rickon were babes they would sleep between the two women in the Queen's bed. Now she was on her knees, one side of her face swollen beyond recognition. "How dare you," Lyarra's voice shook and her hands trembled as she spoke. 

"If you don't surrender, she will die." Aegon said simply, as though stating the weather. Margaery looked up through her one open eye and shook her head, when she opened her mouth Lyarra saw that they had cut off her tongue, all that remained a bloody stump. 

"She will die whether I surrender or not," Lyarra replied gently, releasing an arrow that buried itself in Margaery's left eye. Before the King could flinch she had another arrow pointed at him. "You will not take me alive. I will never serve a monster such as you, one that kills children for looking like Princes."

"We had to be sure," Aegon said with a frown. "Lannisters killed my fami -"

"I am not a Lannister!" Lyarra shouted, "I have never killed a child in my entire life, if you burnt my entire house down I would not be so sick with revenge that I would kill a babe. Innocence should not pay for the sins of corruption!" Aegon stared at her for a long moment, a woman grown he wondered if she was acting like this because she knew she was going to die. He looked across to Jaime Lannister, the man that had killed his grandfather, and wondered for the first time if he had done it because his grandfather was mad...  _no_ he told himself. _We have come too far to falter now._ He looked back to the Queen before him, her eyes had not left his face since she had murdered the Tyrell woman. 

"I cannot spare your life," Lyarra frowned at him now, unsure why he had said those words. "I cannot spare your sons, for if they grow their thirst for revenge will foster. It will be quick -" the sudden pain that shot through his left shoulder knocked the words out of him and his men surrounded his quickly, he only just had time to see the Queen draw a dagger from beneath her dress and cry out in anger as she ran forward. In that instant Ser Jaime too stood, knocking the Targaryen King's men back and punching one in the face, for his movement he got a sword through his gut, but Aegon could swear the man was smiling. When his soldiers stopped fighting they separated and before him lay the Queen, her once white night gown soaked red with her own blood. He moved towards her and felt her neck, but there was no pulse. Her grey eyes were open wide, so he closed them.  _I wonder_ he thought curiously,  _is this how my own Mother died?_


End file.
